Term 2 and 3 Professional Learning Opportunities: June Update

A further 13 Professional Learning sessions so far this year, with over 240 people attending.

Sessions have covered a variety of elements, from the use of picture books in enhancing mathematical concepts, to engaging with algebra through hands-on activities, and coding, addressing the new content of the Victorian Curriculum.

A great achievement, with much more to come in 2017!

We have been working hard recently to develop some new sessions for MAV members, with a focus on the secondary years:

Enhancing the use of CAS in Mathematical Methods (TI Calculator) Year 10 and VCE Teachers

Don’t forget the Primary Conference, registrations are filling fast and some sessions options are now booked out. Don’t leave it too late and miss out on your choice of sessions. More information is given below.

(VCE) 2017 Enhancing the use of CAS in Mathematical Methods (TI Calculator) Year 10 and VCE Teachers

Date:

Wed 26 July 2017

Venue:

The Mathematical Association of Victoria, 61 Blyth Street, Brunswick

Time:

4:30pm – 6:00pm

Who should attend:

Teachers of VCE Mathematical Methods

In this session featured content will include efficient use of TI-Nspire CAS to solve problems related to algebra, calculus, and discrete and continuous probability distributions. Participants will explore statistical inference for sample proportions and confidence intervals by setting up and analysing simulations. We will also look at some of the questions from the 2016 Mathematical Methods Examination 2 and some of the ways in which users of the TI-Nspire CAS calculators can benefit and save time in recording solutions and checking answers. Many of the multiple-choice questions and parts of extended responses questions can be solved using pre-prepared notes pages. Participants will learn how to create these notes applications which can be used to answer typical examination questions.

Presenter: Raymond Rozen is a senior educator at RMIT University, in the School of Education. He is currently teaching VCE Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics. He has been active over many years in writing numerous trial examinations for Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics, as well as presenting revision lectures in Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics. Raymond is also well known for his involvement in writing senior mathematical textbooks for Jacaranda Wiley, as well as regularly presenting at conferences incorporating the use of TI-Nspire into senior classroom activities.

(VCE) Enhancing the use of CAS in Mathematical Methods (CASIO CLASSPAD)

Date:

Thu 3 Aug 2017

Venue:

The Mathematical Association of Victoria, 61 Blyth Street, Brunswick

Time:

4:30pm – 6:00pm

Who should attend:

Teachers of year 10 and VCE Mathematical Methods

How can teachers and students make the best use of the Casio ClassPad from Years 10-12? This session will cover the use of the ClassPad in Mathematics classes and assessments, and also some short cuts and alternative approaches that students can use.

Presenter: Sue Garner has been working with the Casio CAS (Computer Algebra Systems) handheld calculators since they were first introduced in VCE external assessments in 2002. She was one of the initial teachers in the VCAA CAS Pilot Study, and has been writing and speaking about the use of CAS in assessments and in teaching since then. Sue is a long-time senior Maths teacher at Ballarat Grammar and teaches from Year 10-12, including Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics and has a keen interest in how CAS is used to enhance student learning.

Dr Ian Lowe will be running a series of hands-on workshops designed to assist new teachers of mathematics or for teachers who have not had training in how to teach mathematics. This series of workshops will provide hands-on activities that can assist you in helping your students navigate through complex topics in an engaging way.

(S) Hands-on Masterclass: Real World Problem Solving

Date:

Mon 31 Jul 2017

Venue:

The Mathematical Association of Victoria, 61 Blyth Street, Brunswick

Time:

4:30pm – 6:30pm

Who should attend:

Teachers of Years 5 – 10 & VCAL

A 2 hour hands-on masterclass that will help you enhance student engagement and develop student confidence whilst strategically applying STEM thinking and 21st century learning skills in an inclusive, collaborative and enjoyable style. As well as exposing you to leading-edge developments in problem solving pedagogy, this workshop will provide you with a ready-to-use set of resources. This problem solving methodology works in differentiated or streamed classroom settings, being explicitly designed to simultaneously cater for both struggling and capable students. This methodology is also ideally structured to support VCAL mathematics courses.

Presenter: Craig Becker is an Education Consultant who does work in Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Special Schools. Craig has over 23 years of experience in educational settings and leadership roles. He began his teaching career in Melbourne and then embraced opportunities to be in a leadership role in international schools in Singapore, Jakarta and Japan. Craig has been active in the implementation of numerous standards-based curriculum, assessment and reporting systems as well as the introduction and development of special programs and new areas of study including, SEAL, Laptop Learning, Experiential Learning, Maths Plus, Robotics, Electronics, Aeromodelling and Student-focused Student Service and Action. Craig is passionate about effective and supportive collaborative work, the utilisation of diversity and strengths whilst maximising opportunities for shared success and satisfaction.

(S) Number and Algebra: Problem solving for the mixed ability classroom

Date:

Thu 10 Aug 2017

Venue:

The Mathematical Association of Victoria, 61 Blyth Street, Brunswick

Time:

4:30pm – 6:00pm

Who should attend:

Teachers of Years 7 - 9

The Victorian Curriculum states: The proficiencies of Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning are fundamental to learning mathematics and working mathematically, and are applied across all three strands Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Problem solving is the ability of students to make choices, interpret, formulate, model and investigate problem situations, select and use technological functions and communicate solutions effectively. This professional learning session will expose teachers to a range of problems, that align with the Victorian Curriculum under the strand of Number and Algebra, that would be suitable for the mixed ability classroom across Years 7 – 9. An approach to presenting Problem Solving to students will be shared, a package of problems will be viewed and discussed and links to resources will be made available. Participants will receive a package of problems, detailed teacher notes on an approach to Problem Solving and a document on links to resources.

Referencing the reSolve: Mathematics by Inquiry project, this session will explore the benefits of an inquiry, problem-solving approach to build deep and flexible mathematical understandings for all students. This session will also incorporate the notion of ‘challenge’ and the importance of learning in the ‘zone of confusion’ as essential ingredients in mathematical inquiry. This will be a hands-on workshop exploring lessons and tasks from the reSolve: Mathematics by Inquiry resources, so be prepared to get involved!

Presenter: Nadia Walker is the Victorian Outreach Officer (2016 – 2018) for the national research project reSolve: Mathematics by Inquiry. Nadia is also, currently, Leading Teaching of Mathematics at Benton Junior College, Mornington. She has had many varied roles in Education over the last 17 years including classroom teacher, curriculum project officer for Mathematics at DET, pre-service tutor at Melbourne University, research assistant at Monash University working with Prof. Peter Sullivan, education consultant and Assistant Principal.

Here’s the answer: The adoption of a growth mindset paradigm and practices! Here are the questions: How can I maintain meaningful feedback for rigorous goal setting for all students’ success in Mathematics? How can I authentically incorporate Australian Curriculum/Victorian Curriculum’s capabilities and proficiencies in my planning for learning and teaching? This event is for all teachers, particularly those with an interest in establishing a growth mindset in their classroom.

Presenter: Carmel Godfrey comes to The MAV with thirty years experience in education including: teacher – pre-school to tertiary and post graduate, School Mathematics Leader, Deputy Principal, Project Officer: Mathematics, and Learning Consultant. Carmel is passionate about growth mindset in education, the science of learning, collaborative planning, coaching for effective practice, and equipping teachers to empower all students.

Using our data as a resource, let’s note the trends, begin with the strengths and tackle the hurdles! From the telescope, looking at the whole school picture, what may need a specific, short term action research project? With the magnifying glass on my year level team, can we see the need for an audit of our pedagogical content knowledge using the Victorian Curriculum? Under the microscope, in my classroom, what areas of Mathematics need a different approach to strengthen conceptual understanding?

This event has a focus for teachers who would like to develop an understanding of, and capacity to, embed the Mathematics Online Interview in their school/classroom programs.

Presenter: Carmel Godfrey comes to The MAV with thirty years of experience in education including: teacher – pre-school to tertiary and post graduate, School Mathematics Leader, Deputy Principal, Project Officer: Mathematics, and Learning Consultant. Carmel is passionate about growth mindset in education, the science of learning, collaborative planning, coaching for effective practice, and equipping teachers to empower all students.

MAVshop - New Titles!

Mathematical MindsetsJo Boaler

Why we love this book: You can banish anxiety about mathematics! What are you waiting for?

Jo Baoler leads the way in terms of mindsets in mathematics and learning. Understanding the principals in this book you can banish math anxiety and give students of all ages a clear roadmap to success. Mathematical Mindsets provides practical strategies and activities to help teachers and parents show all children, even those who are convinced that they are bad at math, that they can enjoy and succeed in math.

It’s not about which approach you use, but how to design high-impact instruction so all students demonstrate more than a year’s worth of mathematics learning for a year spent in school. To make this possible, this book provides a practical framework to choose the right approach at the right time, depending upon where learners are within three phases of learning. The framework is forged out of current research in mathematics combined with John Hattie’s synthesis of more than 15 years of education research. Chapter by chapter, and equipped with video clips, planning tools, rubrics, and templates, you get the inside track on which instructional strategies to use at each phase of the learning cycle.